Cider - Shop now
$17.99 with 31 percent savings
Digital List Price: $25.99

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Sold by Amazon.com Services LLC.

Audiobook Price: $26.21

Save: $18.72 (71%)

eBook features:
  • Highlight, take notes, and search in the book
  • In this edition, page numbers are just like the physical edition
Read with our free app
Rent

$6.73
$6.73

Today through selected date:

Rental price is determined by end date.

Sold by Amazon.com Services LLC.
eBook features:
  • Highlight, take notes, and search in the book
  • In this edition, page numbers are just like the physical edition
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Buy for others

Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group.
Learn more

Buying and sending eBooks to others

  1. Select quantity
  2. Buy and send eBooks
  3. Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.

Added to

Sorry, there was a problem.

There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again.

Sorry, there was a problem.

List unavailable.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Steven Levy
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution - 25th Anniversary Edition 1st Edition, Kindle Edition

by Steven Levy (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 out of 5 stars 787 ratings

This 25th anniversary edition of Steven Levy's classic book traces the exploits of the computer revolution's original hackers -- those brilliant and eccentric nerds from the late 1950s through the early '80s who took risks, bent the rules, and pushed the world in a radical new direction. With updated material from noteworthy hackers such as Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Stallman, and Steve Wozniak, Hackers is a fascinating story that begins in early computer research labs and leads to the first home computers.

Levy profiles the imaginative brainiacs who found clever and unorthodox solutions to computer engineering problems. They had a shared sense of values, known as "the hacker ethic," that still thrives today. Hackers captures a seminal period in recent history when underground activities blazed a trail for today's digital world, from MIT students finagling access to clunky computer-card machines to the DIY culture that spawned the Altair and the Apple II.

Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. ISBN-13
    978-1449393823
  2. Edition
    1st
  3. Publisher
    O'Reilly Media
  4. Publication date
    May 19, 2010
  5. Language
    English
  6. File size
    1.7 MB
Next slide of product details

From the brand

Previous page
  2. Practical Cloud Security: A Guide for Secure Design and Deployment
    Hands-On Differential Privacy: Introduction to the Theory and Practice Using OpenDP
    Web Application Security: Exploitation and Countermeasures for Modern Web Applications
    Inside Cyber Warfare: Mapping the Cyber Underworld

    Explore security resources

    Visit the Store

  3. AI Engineering: Building Applications with Foundation Models
    Fundamentals of Software Architecture: A Modern Engineering Approach
    Fundamentals of Data Engineering: Plan and Build Robust Data Systems
    Platform Engineering: A Guide for Technical, Product, and People Leaders

    More From O'Reilly

    Visit the Store

  4. Sharing the knowledge of experts

    O'Reilly's mission is to change the world by sharing the knowledge of innovators. For over 40 years, we've inspired companies and individuals to do new things (and do them better) by providing the skills and understanding that are necessary for success.

    Our customers are hungry to build the innovations that propel the world forward. And we help them do just that.

Next page

From the Publisher

Hacker Culture A to Z
Hackers
Hackers & Painters
Customer Reviews
4.7 out of 5 stars 4
4.5 out of 5 stars 787
4.5 out of 5 stars 746
Price $9.16 $21.42 $15.49
From O'Reilly Media A Fun Guide to the Fundamentals of Cybersecurity and Hacking Heroes of the Computer Revolution Big Ideas from the Computer Age

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Steven Levy's classic book explains why the misuse of the word "hackers" to describe computer criminals does a terrible disservice to many important shapers of the digital revolution. Levy follows members of an MIT model railroad club--a group of brilliant budding electrical engineers and computer innovators--from the late 1950s to the mid-1980s. These eccentric characters used the term "hack" to describe a clever way of improving the electronic system that ran their massive railroad. And as they started designing clever ways to improve computer systems, "hack" moved over with them. These maverick characters were often fanatics who did not always restrict themselves to the letter of the law and who devoted themselves to what became known as "The Hacker Ethic." The book traces the history of hackers, from finagling access to clunky computer-card-punching machines to uncovering the inner secrets of what would become the Internet. This story of brilliant, eccentric, flawed, and often funny people devoted to their dream of a better world will appeal to a wide audience.

Review

"A remarkable collection of characters . . . courageously exploring mindspace, an inner world where nobody had ever been before." -- The New York Times

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B003PDMKIY
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ O'Reilly Media; 1st edition (May 19, 2010)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 19, 2010
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.7 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 430 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 787 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Steven Levy

Steven Levy

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Levy is editor at large at Wired. Previous positions include editor in chief at Backchannel; and chief technology writer and a senior editor for Newsweek. In early 2020, his book "Facebook: The Inside Story" will appear, the product of over three years studying the company, which granted unprecedented access to its employees and executives. Levy has written previous seven books and has had articles published in Harper's, Macworld, The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, Premiere, and Rolling Stone. Steven has won several awards during his 30+ years of writing about technology, including Hackers, which PC Magazine named the best Sci-Tech book written in the last twenty years and, Crypto, which won the grand eBook prize at the 2001 Frankfurt Book festival. "In the Plex," the definitive book on Google, was named the Best Business Book of 2011 on both Amazon and Audible.

Related books

Page 1 of 1Start OverPage 1 of 1
Sponsored
Previous page
  1. Shop the Store on Amazon ›
    Git & GitHub Visual Guide: The Hands-On Manual for Complete Beginners to Master Version Control and Remote Coding Collaboration (Digital Skill Development Series by D-Libro (2025))
    Git & GitHub Visual Guide: The Hands-On Manual for Complete Beginners to Master Version Control and Remote Coding Collaboration (Digital Skill Development Series by D-Libro (2025))
    4.74.7 out of 5 stars25
    $8.99
  2. Shop the Store on Amazon ›
    How to Market a Book: Overperform in a Crowded Market (Reedsy Marketing Guides Book 1)
    How to Market a Book: Overperform in a Crowded Market (Reedsy Marketing Guides Book 1)
    4.54.5 out of 5 stars1,433
    $0.00Digital List Price:$2.99
Next page

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
787 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find this book to be an entertaining and well-written read that provides an interesting deep dive into the history of computers and hackers. They appreciate its informative content, with one customer noting it covers the initial stages of the computer revolution. The writing style receives positive feedback, with one customer describing it as easy to follow and understand.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

57 customers mention "Readability"53 positive4 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as an essential and entertaining read.

"...A really well done and informative look at how we got from $500 TI calculators to smart watches more powerful than the computers that put a man on..." Read more

"...It's a great read. Oh... there is just one more thing I remember; sweet and sour bitter melon (shudder). So when will the movie be released? ;)" Read more

"...I haven't red the entire thing yet, but it's still a good read. External links give you further details and some are entertaining...." Read more

"...Although I believe it is now in its 25 year of publication, it was a great read...." Read more

41 customers mention "History"41 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's historical content, describing it as a wild and deep dive into the early stages of the computer revolution.

"Helped enlighten me about a period history I had lived through but had only seen dimly." Read more

"...First and foremost, I found Hackers to be a facinating story - one with which I would think the majority of the public would be unfamiliar...." Read more

"...I love it too. It is about the initial stages of the computer revolution, yet reads more like a collection of entertaining short stories...." Read more

"...it paints a very vivid and humane picture of a very special period of the history of computing...." Read more

31 customers mention "Informational value"31 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative and fascinating, with one customer noting it contains lots of anecdotes and another mentioning it serves as a useful reference text.

"...A really well done and informative look at how we got from $500 TI calculators to smart watches more powerful than the computers that put a man on..." Read more

"...Levy does an excellent job of documenting the lives and times of the early computer pioneers, and makes those seminal days live again - even for..." Read more

"...It was about the pursuit for knowledge and efficiency. This is a must for serious software engineers and computer science...." Read more

"...a 'way of life' and how the nerds of the world have had a tremendous impact on technology and how their 'hacking philosophy has in most cases led to..." Read more

8 customers mention "Writing style"8 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, finding it very well written, with one customer noting it is easy to follow and understand.

"...There is a fair amount of discussion of assembly language, which is seldom covered in even college classes, usually one class for a single..." Read more

"...Almost 500 pages long with no pictures, it is written in a style that makes you a part of the past, as you where one of the "hackers" per se...." Read more

"...Very well written, it was easy to follow and understand...." Read more

"...Also Steven Levy is a wonderful writer and really knows how to tell the story." Read more

6 customers mention "Style"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the style of the book, with one noting its elegant code and another describing how it paints a very vivid picture.

"...Other than that, I think it paints a very vivid and humane picture of a very special period of the history of computing...." Read more

"Really cool and interesting book, raises cool ideas into not only the hacker ethic, but also technology and history of "hacking"...." Read more

"...This was an era of efficiency and elegant code; a time when man and machine merged into one to create truly elegant solutions on inelegant hardware." Read more

"...did not disappoint - it dished all the good and the bad, gave a very good look into how the adventure game genre exploded back when machines were..." Read more

Canonical history of hackers and their loosing lexicon of kludge
5 out of 5 stars
Canonical history of hackers and their loosing lexicon of kludge
If you ever use the word kludge or talk about a hack then this book is REQUIRED READING (unless you were or are involved with electric train sets at MIT -- then please forgive my loosing review that you should have written). * MIT at night*. * Joke of the day: * Apple Modem shipped with extra phreaky features from Captain Crunch. * Homebrew* * Zorky game developers break out rich and sit in hot tubs. This book tells a history that is already being rewritten and forgotten. *hackers
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

  • Richard Seltzer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Clear and compelling
    Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Helped enlighten me about a period history I had lived through but had only seen dimly.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Gabriel
    5.0 out of 5 stars If you like computers, this book will tell you where they came from. A fun read!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Ok, I admit, I'm old. I actually remember most of the things talked about in this history of the computer age's genesis. Got my first home computer in 1982, a Timex Sinclair ZX81. 8K of ram and no keyboard, just a flat panel like on microwaves. Try typing in programming code on that! hah! Moved "up" to an Atari 800XL, which I hated and then to a Commodore 64, which I expected to hate, but loved. After that I reluctantly moved to a PC clone, although I wanted a $3600 Macintosh. Just couldn't afford it. At that point I got my first job as a self taught computer tech, in 1988. And I am still doing the same work now, although it's just about time to retire. So I've seen a lot over the years The rise of Microsoft, the surprising success of Apple, the fall of CP/M and about 50 different computer languages, such as Logo, Lisp, Fortran and Cobol. I saw the first computer expos, long before there was CES. People wandering around big halls, buying stacks of floppies and glossy computer mags. I played the games from Sierra (before it was Sierra Online) and Electronic Arts, (before it was "EA") and I was there when AOL became a monster app and spanked CompuServe. I had a BBS in 1990 that was one of the first to offer Internet email access. But it was all text as the WWW hadn't been invented yet! All these milestones and much more is covered in this book and I found it fascinating, even though I was never "in the In Crowd" where the Home Brew Computer Club was located. A really well done and informative look at how we got from $500 TI calculators to smart watches more powerful than the computers that put a man on the moon. Wowsers.
    13 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Cyrano
    4.0 out of 5 stars A Gem with Inclusions
    Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2003
    Verified Purchase
    To be honest, it's been a number of years since I read Hackers, having read it soon after it's initial publication in the '90's. However, I have some lasting impressions, which may amplify, or at least supplement, several of the previous reviews. First and foremost, I found Hackers to be a facinating story - one with which I would think the majority of the public would be unfamiliar. Levy does an excellent job of documenting the lives and times of the early computer pioneers, and makes those seminal days live again - even for those of us who wouldn't know a byte from a bite from a bight. However, Levy has a tendency for hyperbole, and in Hackers, he gives that tendency full rein. Levy's prose are rife with phrases like '...these brilliant geniuses' and '...such giant intellects.' I'm working from memory, so those are not directs quotes, but I think you get the idea. The other negative impression I have, is Levy's unnecessary dwelling on his characters' personal foibles. I still recall with disgust (alright... mild disgust, but disgust, nonetheless) his description of - if I remember correctly - what were called "blatties." Over all however, I loved "Hackers" and would recommend it to almost anyone without reservation. It's a great read. Oh... there is just one more thing I remember; sweet and sour bitter melon (shudder). So when will the movie be released? ;)
    6 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Brian
    5.0 out of 5 stars A must for computer enthusiasts and Computer Science Majors.
    Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I was recommended this book by a colleague. I love it too. It is about the initial stages of the computer revolution, yet reads more like a collection of entertaining short stories. It is far from a dry read. Included in the front are short descriptions about people and devices mentioned or interviewed. If you're a software developer this actually explains why IDEs mark errors with red. If you're a gamer, you'll learn about the first video game. (It wasn't Pong). I haven't red the entire thing yet, but it's still a good read. External links give you further details and some are entertaining. The book may be titled hackers, but there isn't anything illegal or even ill-intented. It was about the pursuit for knowledge and efficiency. This is a must for serious software engineers and computer science. If for nothing else then leisurely reading. There is a fair amount of discussion of assembly language, which is seldom covered in even college classes, usually one class for a single assignment or chapter. Not much is explained in detail so the education level to understand the book completely is fairly high. There are a bunch of inside jokes, but I do think that an average college student could understand 90-95% of the book.
    12 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Emre Sevinç
    5.0 out of 5 stars What would happen if hackers...
    Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2009
    Verified Purchase
    The only thing that is missing in this wonderful book is the UNIX era, which constitutes a story by itself. I was really disappointed to see that UNIX is mentioned in only one or two pages (and nothing is mentioned about UNIX and C hackers). Other than that, I think it paints a very vivid and humane picture of a very special period of the history of computing.

    I would also recommend it to people who are not technical so that they can understand the mindset and psychology of hackers better. The distinction between the styles of serious business computing and passionate, obsessive, creative and innovative hacking pushing the boundaries is also made very clear in the book. That distinction still exists today, even though the flagship of modern hacking GNU/Linux is becoming more and more of a business commodity rather than a risky playground for trying out really groundbreaking ideas. I also recommend the book to programmers, hackers and technical managers so that they know more about the past of their field. The roads taken and the roads not takes.

    I must admit that I learned much more about the history of Homebrew Computer Club and game hacking from this book, wish it contained more stories about Commodore, ZX Spectrum and Amiga.

    So grab some Chinese food, set up your hacking environment, put this book on your desk and give it a go! :)
    8 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Adam
    3.0 out of 5 stars Good but too short
    Reviewed in Australia on April 22, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Very enjoyable little book to read. But it stops just as it feels like it should be getting started! Guess I will need to find more books on computer history elsewhere.

    Kindle edition has some serious formatting issues.
    Report
  • Sachin Tumbre
    1.0 out of 5 stars Feels like reading a fantacy novel. Skip this one...
    Reviewed in India on July 26, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This book is about techies .
    Author has made it like a novel by adding too much poetic phrases.
    I read “iWoz”in three days straight. This one i dont think i ll be able to finish.
    Report
  • YOYO
    5.0 out of 5 stars Interessant
    Reviewed in France on March 23, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Très vite lu, je me suis fait surprendre pas ce monde que je ne connaissais pas, un chemin de vie a suivre, quel pratique et quelle morale, bravo messieurs dames......

    Un papy.
    Report
  • schrottvogel
    5.0 out of 5 stars Unterhaltsam und lehrreich für Software-Entwickler und -Manager
    Reviewed in Germany on March 8, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Jeder, der die ursprüngliche und echte Bedeutung von "Hacker" als fähige, trickreiche, innovative Programmierer kennt; der regelmäßig ganze Nächte mit seiner Maschine verschmilzt, weil er wissen wollte, wie man etwas noch besser machen kann; der muss dieses Buch kennen. Ganz klar. Levy schreibt eine äußerst unterhaltsame Geschichte, die Anfang der 1960er mit der Entdeckung eines (programmierbaren!) TX-0 durch Mitglieder des Modelleisenbahnclubs am MIT beginnt und mit dem aufbrechenden Konflikt zwischen Hacker- und Managerphilosophien bei Atari, Apple, Microsoft, Sierra On-Line und anderen Giganten der Spiele- und Softwareindustrie um 1984 -- leider viel zu früh -- endet.

    Das ist aber nicht nur stellenweise extrem witzig (bzw. skurril bis besorgniserregend :), sondern auch heute noch eine für alle an Softwareentwicklung Beteiligten höchst interessante Lektüre. Für Entwickler sowieso. Gut, "Hacken" als Paradigma ist heute nicht mehr allzu hoch angesehen -- aber ich habe keinen einzigen guten Programmierer kennengelernt, der der Hackerphilosophie nicht starke Sympathien entgegenbringt und der nicht auch, wenn's drauf ankam, hacken konnte. Doch auch und gerade Managern kann ich dieses Buch nur ans Herz legen -- wer ein effizientes Softwareprojekt effektiv leiten will, der ist gut beraten, die Hackerphilosophie zu kennen und im Umgang mit Programmierern zu beachten. Und die wird in keinem anderen Buch so authentisch, anschaulich und greifbar beschrieben.

    Kurz und gut, mit diesem Buch können alle ganzheitlich an Software Interessierten das Angenehme mit dem Nützlichen verbinden. Es eignet sich ausgezeichnet als unterhaltsame, unanstrengende Bettlektüre, bei der man ganz nebenbei viel über die Geschichte von Software sowie der Mentalität ihrer Entwickler erfährt. Eine seltene Synthese!
    Report
  • takachev
    5.0 out of 5 stars Appendixが良いですね。
    Reviewed in Japan on September 2, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    25周年記念版において、Appendixが追加されています。
    ビル・ゲイツ、グリーンブラットら、主要登場人物のその後について書かれており、
    現在の彼らの業績を踏まえると、きわめて有意義なものであると思いました。
    このバージョンの日本語訳が必要ではないでしょうか？
    Report

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report